On the outskirts of Halifax is an estate property called Shibden Hall. The original part of the house was built in 1420, and it was continuously occupied for over 500 years from 1420 to 1933.
One of the occupants of Shibden Hall was a woman named Anne Lister. She lived here between 1815 and 1840. It's an interesting story because she was a known lesbian and respected businesswoman who kept detailed daily diaries that were written in complicated code. In fact, BBC did a semi biographical series called Gentleman Jack which was fairly popular.
Shibden Hall.
It costs £8 admission for adults, but we weren't questioned when we asked for the senior admission at £5. For £8 each we probably wouldn't have gone inside, but we were okay with paying £5 ($7.40 CAD, $5.40 USD).
Notice the gorgeous bright blue sky!
The estate grounds are now a public park.
Its a really beautiful property.
The kitchen.
The inside is a museum.
Much of the furnishings are original.
One of the costumes from the Gentleman Jack TV series.
Ruth wearing a black top hat like the one that Anne Lister was known to wear.
This bed dates to 1630.
And the wood floor is original, from 1420.
Originally a stagecoach, this carriage was built in London around 1835.
An interesting addition is a toilet, located under one of the interior seats!
The Brewhouse.
There was a brewhouse at Shibden recorded in details from 1670. Beer was a staple drink for workers and it was drunk by almost everyone, including children. Beer was also used to pay estate workers as part of their food and lodging provision.
The rear courtyard.
When we were done at the hall, we walked down through the park, and then took the bus into the center of Halifax.
Looking back up at the estate buildings.
Scenery along the way.
Glen found a trough named after her!
Our first stop in Halifax was at The Piece Hall. This huge square was built in 1779 as a textile trading center. Oddly, it was only used for two hours each Saturday and otherwise sat vacant. It underwent a big renovation in 2017 and now houses restaurants, shops, and offices.
From there, we went and had some lunch. Using google maps and the reviews, I found us a Korean cafe style restaurant called Seoul Food. I didn't take any photos, but the food was really good and we all enjoyed our meal. It certainly lived up to the high ratings.
From there, to the market building...
This might have been our second choice for lunch.
The food looked really good!
Colorful wall inside the market.
This is a neat statue.
Click on the photo to be able to zoom in and see the detail.
Our next stop was the Halifax Minster.
A Minster is an honorable designation given by the Church of England to bestow special status. Halifax Minster was given this designation in 2009 by the Bishop of Wakefield.
Halifax Minster was built in 1437.
The fantastic organ was built in 1766.
Amazing!
Next stop was City Hall.
Queen Victoria Hall in the City Hall building.
And our final stop in Halifax was the gibbet.
Never heard of a gibbet? Either had we. But you've heard of a guillotine. Most people think the guillotine was a French invention, but the guillotine wasn't used in France until the 17th century. The gibbet is thought to have been used in Yorkshire, England as early as the 13th century.
Beheadings were a common method of execution in England in the middle ages. Convicted thieves and felons were regularly beheaded in Yorkshire, and in fact a nearby plaque details the names of 52 different victims who lost their heads between 1286 and 1650, although they believe there would have been many more than the records indicate.
This is the original location of the gibbet, although the structure is a replica.
Ruth, hoping the blade is secure!
Under Commonwealth rule, the practice was ordered discontinued in 1650.
From there, we took the bus to the town of Brighouse where we parted ways and Glen and Steve took the bus back to the house, and Ruth and I did a walk along the canal, and then we did the 5.5 km (3.2 mile) walk back to the house.
Houseboats at the end of the canal.
Canal locks.
There are many public right of ways in England.
Scenery along the way.
It was a perfect day with gorgeous weather. Really enjoyed our tour of Halifax and area.
Today, we hop on the Megabus for the six hour ride to Bristol. Looking forward to seeing Helen and Tony and family!
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Record low deal on this Pet Seat Cover.
And in Canada...
All this history reminds me of a time when I lived in a "historic" mining town in the Rockies. An English woman observed icily that "You do make the most of your hundred years, don't you?"
ReplyDeleteYes, our buildings in Canada and the US have nothing on the ones here in Europe unless you want to consider the cave dwellings out west!
DeleteThank you for letting us know, I thought they were called canal boats. When we were in London we saw a LOT of them being used as liveaboards. We expect like motorhomes, they are much cheaper to live in than a house or apartment. We haven't seen any used for recreational purposes yet but we are also nearing the end of the season for that.
ReplyDelete